A POLICE officer was yesterday warned he could face jail after being found guilty of attacking a man at a Christmas party.

Wrexham-based PC Jonathan Mark Tym had denied assaulting Michael Mayers, 34, at the Mollington Bannastre hotel, Chester when he was off duty.

But the jury returned after nearly five and a half hours with a 10-2 majority verdict at Chester Crown Court yesterday.

Sgt Stephen Tierney, 48, who is also stationed at Wrexham, has denied a joint charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.

The jury will continue deliberating his case this morning.

After Tym was convicted, Tim Storie, defending, said: "This will have serious consequences and he will be involved in disciplinary proceedings."

Ordering a pre-sentence report, Judge Philip Hughes told Tym:

"Unconditional bail will continue but all sentencing options will be kept open, including a custodial sentence."

Last week, Mr Mayers, of Connah's Quay told the court Tym, 45, had started insulting his wife Louise at the party for Cambrian Associates on December 20, 2003.

The wives of the men involved in the incident were employed by the Hawarden-based firm.

Mr Mayers told the jury Tym had called his wife a dog during a speech by the managing director.

Mr Mayers said that Tym called him a "gay boy" and when he confronted him to ask what was his problem, he felt a blow to the back of the head and turned around to see Tierney.

He claimed: "I could see he was going to hit me again so I punched him back. Then we stumbled and fell on top of each other."

The prosecution had alleged he was knocked unconscious and the jury heard the two defendants tried Janie Smith, the great-great-niece of children's author Beatrix Potter, unveils the restored Victorian garden at Gwaenynog Hall in Denbigh, which inspired The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies. The garden is open to the public by appointment from June to August. Picture: STACEY ROBERTS